“I mean, it is what it is. You get used to things always happening.” I shrugged and turned my lips down. “But it’s about Lo tonight. I’m not trying to bring the mood down with heavy shit.”
Paloma smiled weakly at me and wrapped her arms around me. “Bug, you’re our baby. It’s always about you, even on my birthday. You’ve got a big ole beautiful heart, and we just want to make sure that it stays intact. There’s only so much a person can take.”
“She’s right, Bug. We know you try to stay strong, but that’s what you’ve got family for. You lean on us when you’re feeling weak, and we will keep you lifted up. We keep you prayed up. It’s okay to crawl up in His arms and let Him give you the rest you need,” Mama Alma declared.
“I do, Mama Alma. I pray a lot.”
“Do you wait on Him, Son?” she asked.
I chuckled, and I shook my head. “It’s not always room to wait in the world that I’m in. Sometimes, you gotta keep moving and keep your head up. If you don’t, you’ll get kicked down and never get back up.”
“If you don’t take time and wait, He’ll sit you down so that you’re forced to wait. Maybe that’s what he’s doing now,” Mama Alma declared.
Shrugging, I replied, “I don’t know. There’s a lot going on. I’ve got my attorneys and my entire team on it. I’m sure they’ll uncover what’s going on. I think it’s something with the manufacturer, but we’ll get to the bottom of it sooner or later. They’ll reinstate me in no time.”
“What’re you gonna do if they don’t reinstate you, Son?” Papa Larry asked.
“They will. I have to believe that because I’m fighting it as best I can. I’m tired though, Papa, and I need some time to regroup.”
“With the way the media pops up everywhere you go, you need more than time to regroup. You need an escape,” Paloma declared.
“She’s right about that, Bug,” Wryn commented. “You might need to find someplace else to crash. They’ve found your condo here in the city, your home in the burbs, and your little vacation spot in Miami. You need something away from all this.”
“You need to go to the house on Sorrel Island,” Papa Larry suggested.
“That’s a great idea.” Mama Alma spoke up.
My siblings nodded and muttered some variation of “Mm-hmm.”
“How long has it been since you all went there last?” Paloma asked our foster parents.
“Last year for Memorial Day,” Papa Larry answered.
“I ain’t been there since just after college,” Wryn proclaimed.
“We tell you kids y’all can go out whenever you want to. It’s not the same for us anymore without y’all running around. I mean, don’t get me wrong; we still have fun, but we miss you guys more when we’re there,” Papa Larry declared.
We all lit up with the happy memories and shared them for a while as we sat around the living room talking.
“Well, guys, I appreciate you all spending my birthday with me, but I still have a few hours left in the night, and my boo has something planned for me,” Paloma announced, jumping up from Wryn’s couch.
Wryn shook his head. “I hope it ain’t that?—”
“Stop, Wryn, before you even say it. I haven’t seen that man in five months. No, I’m seeing someone new.”
“Lo, take your time, baby. I don’t want to see you hurt,” Mama Alma declared.
It was no secret that Paloma fell in love quickly and got hurt just as easily. We all were, in some form, looking for someone to love us unconditionally the way our mother should have. When our partner failed to live up to our expectations, we didn’t take it so well.
Paloma was in and out of relationships, Wryn had just ended his third marriage at thirty-eight, and there was me, who just remained in a stagnant, loveless relationship. I was holding on for the sake of saying that I had someone to love, someone who didn’t love me in return.
“I’ll be fine, Mama. I promise.”
“You make sure, Reigh.”
We all hugged her. “I might as well get out of here too. I’m tired, and I haven’t had much sleep lately.”
“Son, I want you to consider what I said. You really should go out to the house. No pressure but think about it. If you want to, I can have your mama call the service and have someone go out there clean it up and restock the refrigerator and cabinet,” Papa Larry suggested.
